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Q: Are the comfort bikes really that different from other exercise bikes on the market?

A:I think so. They certainly look different, and that’s because they are different. They aren’t just a modification of our previous bikes. We tried to do that. We tried using the old frames and just updating the look. It wasn’t good enough. We had to start from scratch.

Q: Of all the bike features or marketing positions you could take, why did you settle on comfort?

A: At Horizon we focus on the customer. When you do that, you realize pretty quickly that comfort is the most important factor in a good exercise bike. Customer reviews of previous models spoke to the way the bikes felt. We took those comments to heart and made an exercise bike that was more comfortable all around from the handlebars to the seat to the stability during the ride.

Ultimately, this should lead to better results for our customers. If the bike is comfortable, they’ll be able to work out longer and reach their goals faster.

Q: Why is a comfort series a big deal?

A: Traditionally, you get more features, like programs and more durable components, as the price increases on an exercise bike. The components are always important at Horizon, because we care so much about quality. But we do look at features a little bit differently.

For this series, we focused on things that improved the comfort of the bikes instead of features that added program options. For example, we put the Ergo Fit hand grips on our entry-level Comfort upright bike, and you wouldn’t normally find something so unique at an affordable price point. To do that, we had to make some trade-offs. Instead of loading our bikes with every possible gadget out there, we weighed our options carefully. We made choices that we thought would provide the best workout experience possible.

Q: It sounds like you are going against the grain of the industry. Is that risky?

A: Yes, it is a paradigm shift to go from talking about specifications and upgrades to talking about a whole family of bikes built around comfort. It’s always a risk to change strategy, but I’m confident that we’re going in the right direction. In a way, we are just getting back to our roots. This company got started by producing high-quality exercise equipment that was stable, easy to assemble and durable. Now we’re just adding comfortable to that equation.